Starting equipment for resonant pulse jet combustion device



June 14, 1955 FRANK ETAL 2,710,524

STARTING EQUIPMENT FOR RESONANT PULSE JET COMBUSTION DEVICE Filed April 16, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG-1' FUEL TAUK FIG-2 German" per DEVICE 57 6,

4O '1 2 azsf INVENTORS 60 30 PAUL A. FRANK &

WALTER L. RHODE?) ATTORNEYS June 14, 1955 P. A. FRANK ETAL 2,710,524

STARTING EQUIPMENT FOR RESONANT PULSE JET COMBUSTION DEVICE Filed April 16, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Geuerzm'me Dance FIG-'3 INVENTORS PAUL A. FRANK a WALTER L. RHODES 32: ATTORNEYS S'EAREING EQUIPMENT FUR RESONANT PULSE JET CGMBUSTION DEVICE Paul A. Frank, Vandalia, and Walter L. Rhodes, Troy, @hio, assignors to William L. Tenney This invention relates to resonant pulse jet combustion devices and more particularly to a means for starting such devices in operation.

A resonant pulse jet combustion device requires special means for starting which usually takes the form of a source of fuel and a source of air under pressure for creating a combustible mixture within the combustion chamber, together with a means of igniting that comhustible mixture to produce an initial pulse, following which the engine becomes self-igniting, the resonant action of the engine providing for the induction of the mixture of fuel and air and for automatic self-ignition to produce the timed periodic resonant pulsating operation. Particularly on smaller combustion units of this type the air has been provided by a hand operated pump, such as an automobile tire pump or the like, which could be operated manually as might be necessary to start the engine, and which would then be disconnected as no longer necessary, as soon as the engine began operation. The ignition in such case could be produced by an ordinary spark coil supplying a spark plug in the combustion chamber, and this likewise could be disconnected as soon as the ignition first occurred.

in accordance with the present invention a highly conipact, simple, and unitary structure for starting an engine of this type has been provided in which the means for supplying the air under pressure as well as the supply of electrical energy for causing ignition are both developed in response to the operation of a manual device. With this arrangement it is only necessary for the op erator to actuate the handle of the pump in the ordinary way, and by so doing, both the air and the electrical energy are supplied to the engine for causing ignition. handle may be operated with one or more strokes, as may be necessary to start the engine, and as soon as starting is completed, the hand operation ends and the engine continues in operation without need for further starting action.

The invention further provides a construction in which the starting apparatus including the air pump and the electrical generating equipment is mounted in position adjacent the engine mounting, and within and protected by the frame work around the engine to such an extent that it is not exposed to rough handling during the normal operation of the engine. When it is desired to start the engine, however, the unit is arranged to be moved outwardly from its protected and inoperative position to a position where it is more readily accessible for operation, and supported in this position while it is manually operated by the user. As soon as the engine begins to function, the entire starting unit may be returned to its inoperative and protected position within the framework.

it is therefore the principal object of the invention to provide a starting unit for a resonant pulse jet combustion device incorporating an air pump and an electrical generating device which is simple in construction and operation, unitary and integrated so that a compact arrangement is secured, and rapid and easy to operate.

= States Patent It is a further object to provide such a device which is actuated by a single shaft and operated by a single handle and arranged to simultaneously supply air under pressure and electrical energy to the combustion chamher to initiate combustion therein.

It is a still further object to provide such a starting unit for a resonant pulse jet combustion device which is normally retained in a protective position in the framework of the device and which can be swung to an operative position where it is readily available and accessible for use.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

in the drawings- Fig. l is a somewhat schematic view of a typical form of resonant pulse jet combustion unit showing the connections for supplying fuel, air, and electrical energy to an igniting device;

Fig. 2 is a schematic view showing the starting device of the present invention connected to the combustion unit;

Fig. 3 is a view in end elevation of a fragment of a resonant pulse jet combustion device mounted on a framework and with the combined air pressure and electrical generating equipment forming the starting unit also adjustahly mounted on the framework;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the starting device with parts broken away to more clearly show the construction; and

Fig. 5 is a view of a modified construction incorporat ing a magneto for supplying a spark plug and in addition an electrical generator for supplying a glow plug.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention, a form of resonant pulse jet combustion unit is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 which shown as embodying a combustion chamber 10, a head portion 11 into which the fuel from tank or float chamber '12 is supplied by line 13 and into which there is also a connection for an air supply for starting shown at I4. The head may be formed with a venturi type inlet 15 and with air supply passages 16 leading to the valve 17 which forms the only moving part of the engine and which alternates between closed and open positions in the operation of the engine. A spark plug 18 is mounted within the combustion chamber and this chamber opens directly and freely into an elongated tube 20 which is considered the exhaust tube since the engine exhausts through the end thereof but which in fact is an integral and essential part of the resonating system including the combustion chamber and the inlet mechanism, all of these parts forming a system resonant in gases and having a natural period depending upon a particular geometry thereof. Reference is made to copending application Serial No. 649,882, filed February 25, 1946, now Patent No. 2,609,660, and assigned to the same assignee as this application, showing and further describing the basic operation of such an engine. If desired, the exhaust tube Tall may be curved or coiled back upon itself to make a more compact device, such as shown in copending application, Serial No. 202,668, filed December 26, 1950.

in a typical embodiment, as shown in Fig. 3, the housing enclosing the combustion chamber is illustrated at 25 as mounted upon a cross piece 26 resting upon tubular framework 27, 28, the framework extending laterally and lengthwise beyond the housing and thus forming both a support for the housing and a protective open enclosure as well. The fuel tank may be also carried on the cross piece 26 as shown at 12.

A pump cylinder 30 is pivotally mounted adjacent its lower end on shafts 31 which allow it to swing in supporting brackets 32 secured to the tubular frame member 27. The pump has a piston .35 with a cup 36 carried on a piston rod 3'7. The rod37 is square in cross section and is formed with rack teeth 38 on one side thereof. A housing or adapter 40 .is arranged to be carried by and fastened to the upper portion of the pump cylinder thereby closing the top of the pump and forming a guide through which the piston ,rod and rack can reciprocate without twisting. Bolted to the housing 46 by means of bolts 41 is an electrical generating device 42, such as a magneto. The single housing 4% thus serves at the same time as a closure for the top of the pump, a guide and bearing for the rack-pump rod, and a mounting pad for the magneto or other generating device. The magneto has a shaft shown at 45 and a pinion 46 mounted this shaft is coupled to drive the magneto when the pinion 46 is driven by intermeshing engagement with the rack teeth 38 when the pump handle is actuated. if desired, a one-way or overrunning clutch 47 may be provided as shown to avoid reversal of the magneto on the up or return stroke. The pump is operated by the usual handle 49 carried by the upper end of the shaft 37.

In order to allow the starting unit to swing from an inner protected to an operative position, a slotted link 50 is pivotally carried on an arm 51 secured to a suitable fixed part of the framework 28, and a screw 52 is secured in a boss 53 on the housing 42 which rides within the slot 54 of link 50. A butterfly nut 55 is threaded. on the sc ew 52 by means of which the unit can be fastened in either its full line position as shown in Fig. 3 where it is arranged for operation, or in its dotted line position in which event the link 59 swings to a downward position and the entire starting device is protected within the framework. Electrical connection 55 leads from the generating device to the spark plug 18 while a hoseconnection 57 supplies the air from the pump to the supply tube 14.

When it is desired to start the unit, the nut 55' is loosened and the starting unit swung to the operative position as shown in full lines in Fig. 3. The fuel supply is turned on and the handle 49 then operated to produce bursts of air under pressure for supply through tube 57, and simultaneously to supply high tension ignition energy to spark plug 18. The overrunning clutch 47 where used allows the magneto to continue in operation during the return or upward strokes of the handle 49, so that the magneto is already rotating when the handle begins its next downward stroke. It will ordinarily be found that this will provide for prompt and easy starting of the engine, and as soon as this occurs, further pumping can be stopped and the unit returned to its protected inoperative position.

In the modified arrangement shown in Fig. 5 there is the same type of starting unit but in this case the electrical generating device is in the form of an electrical generator 68, driven in the same manner by the rack bar 3%, and supplying electrical energy through the line 61 to the glow plug 62. This may be advantageous in some types of device, or for starting under extremely cold weather conditions. if desired the system may incorporate both the glow plug and the generator as well as the spark plug 18 and the magneto 42.

While the forms of apparatus herein described constitute preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these precise forms of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. in combination for use in starting a resonant pulse jet combustion device having a. combustion chamber to which fuel is supplied and having a starting air supply connection and an igniting element therein, a manually operable air pump, means for supplying air from said air pump to said air supply connection for starting said device, electrical generating means, means connected with said pump for driving said electrical generating means in direct response to the manual pumping operation of said air pump, and means for connecting said electrical generating means to said igniting element to initiate combustion in said device.

2. in combination with a resonant pulse jet combustion unit having a combustion chamber to which fuel is supplied and having an air supply connection and an igniting element, a manually operable air pump having an operating handle, means for supplying air from said air pump to said connection in response to the working of said handle, electrical generating means, means for mounting said generating means directly adjacent said air pump, and means connected with said operating handle for actuating said generating means simultaneously with said air pump to supply energy to said igniting element for starting said unit.

3. in combination with a resonant pulse jet combustion unit having a combustion chamber to which fuel is suppiied and having an air supply connection and an igniting element, a manually operable air pump having a piston and a piston rod and operable for suppiying air to aid air connection, electrical generating means, connections rorn said piston rod for driving said generating means upon actuation of said piston rod, and means for supplying air from said pump and energy from said generating means simultaneously to said combustion unit to start said unit.

4. in combination with a resonant pulse jet combustion unit having a combustion chamber to which fuel is supplied and having an air supply connection and an igniting element, an air pump having a pump cylinder and a piston rod, an electrical generating device supported on said pump cylinder, connections on said piston rod for driving said device in response to the operation of said pump, and means for supplying air from said to said air supply connection and electrical energy from aid device simultaneously to said igniting element for starting said unit in operation.

5. in combination with a resonant pulse jet combustion unit having a combustion chamber to which fuel is supplied and having air supply connection and 3 an igniting element, an air pump, electrical generating tion unit having a combustion chamber to which fuel is supplied and having an air supply connection and an igniting element, including a supporting framework, a combined air pump and electrical generating means for starting said unit in operation comprising an air pump,

means for mounting said air pump on said framework for adjustable movement between a protected position within said framework and an exposed readily accessible operative position, means for mounting said generating means on said air pump for movement therewith, and a cornmor. actuating means for said air pump and said generating means accessible in said operative position.

7. In combination with a resonant pulse jet combustion unit including a combustion chamber to which fuel is supplied and having an air supply connection and an igni ng device for use in starting the unit comprising a supporting framework for said unit, an air pump cylinder, means for adjustably mounting said air pump cylinder on said framework adjacent said combustion chamber and movable from an inoperative protected trical energy for said igniting device, means for mounting said generating means on said pump cylinder for movement therewith, an operating handle for actuating said pump, connections from said operating handle for driving said generating means during the working stroke of said pump, and means for supplying air from said pump to said connection and energy from said generating means to said igniting device simultaneously to cause the starting of said unit.

8. In combination with a resonant pulse jet combustion unit including a combustion chamber to which fuel is supplied and having an air supply connection and an igniting device for use in starting the unit comprising a supporting framework for said unit, an air pump cylinder, means for adjustably mounting said air pump cylinder on said framework adjacent said combustion chamber and movable from an inoperative protected position within said framework to an exposed readily accessible operative position, means for generating electrical energy for said igniting device, means for mounting said generating means on said pump cylinder for movement therewith, an operating handle for actuating said pump, connections from said operating handle for driving said generating means during the working stroke of said pump, an overrun-"ling clutch in the drive to said generating means for allowing continued operation thereof on the return stroke of said handle, and means for supplying air from said pump to said connection and energy from said generating means to said igniting device simultaneously to cause the starting of said unit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 335,934 Johnson et al. Feb. 9, 1886 844,991 Allen Feb. 19, 1907 2,056,198 Lasley Oct. 6, 1936 2,609,660 Tenney et a1. Sept. 9, 1952 

